


Fake Cake

by Roxicodone



Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Gen, Tifa Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:20:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23994400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roxicodone/pseuds/Roxicodone
Summary: Tifa had managed to all but forget the day she was born, but there's one special person who has not. Happy birthday, Tifa Lockhart! Takes place before the events of FFVII/FFVIIR.
Comments: 11
Kudos: 30





	Fake Cake

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble could be read as a lost entry for Ever Requited, but is also perfectly able to stand on its own.

“Tifa, will you come here please?” Marlene’s voice was soft and muffled, coming from the front of the bar where Tifa had planted her with papers and crayons while she finished cleaning up their baking disaster.

“Ok, sweetheart, I’ll be right there,” she called in answer, finished rinsing the final mixing bowl and stacking it in the dish rack. She washed and wiped her hands quickly, giving the overhead clock a quick glance before pushing through the kitchen door back into the bar proper.

 _9:45PM isn’t bad_ , she mused. It was far past what some people might have deemed appropriate for a three year-olds bedtime, but Tifa didn’t care, and she was sure Barret wouldn’t either. Marlene was no one’s typical three year-old and, besides, today was special; today, Tifa had found a bushel of zucchinis of all things, a vegetable she hadn’t seen since her days in Nibelheim, and she’d bought the proprietor dry. Rushing home, she’d decided to keep the bar closed, wanting instead to bake loaf after loaf after loaf of zucchini bread with her little Marlene.

Just as she used to with her own mother when she was but three years old and living carefree and loved in Nibelheim.

She knew she wasn’t Marlene’s mother, could never replace the woman, she was sure, but she would have pit her love for the smart, giggling Marlene against any other woman’s love for their own children.

“What’s up, sweetheart?” Tifa asked as she flicked off the kitchen lights and turned. Her eyes scanned the bar automatically and her heart stopped for a beat when they didn’t find Marlene, the table nearest the bar where she should’ve been seated empty of her. “Marlene? Sweetheart, where’d you go?” She tamped down on her alarm and moved quickly toward the pinball machine. She hadn’t heard its melody to signal Marlene’s departure from the bar, but she supposed she could’ve just been distracted?

“Surprise!” a little voice called, and Tifa jerked around to see as Marlene emerged from the opposite side of the bar nearest the restroom. Her brown eyes were bright, smile radiant, and in her tiny, outstretched hands she held a loaf of zucchini bread—with a single, unlit candle inserted just slightly off center. “Happy birthday, Tifa!”

Tifa felt her heart stutter, mouth going dry as her head tried to catch up with her melting heart. “W-what?”

But Marlene only smiled, her tiny feet carrying her slowly and carefully toward Tifa, eyes focused on the loaf of bread in her hands. “Happy birthday,” she repeated with the same amount of zeal and excitement as she’d had before. “I know it’s not a cake but we can pretend and it can be like fake cake! And I’m sorry I didn’t fire the candle but you and Daddy said don’t play with fire so maybe it’s ok if you fire it this time by yourself?”

 _My birthday,_ she thought bemusedly. _T_ _oday is my birthday._ She’d forgotten, hadn’t celebrated a birthday in years and had managed to push the date far from her mind. Hell, she hadn’t had much to celebrate until she’d found Barret and Marlene.

Feet stumbling her forward, she snatched the tiny Marlene into her arms, uncaring of how the pan of zucchini bread was pressed awkwardly between them, and felt her throat drawing tight, eyes aching. She hugged Marlene tightly in trembling arms, nuzzling the still damp strands of her hair and smothering her with kisses until Marlene squealed and wiggled, trying to break free.

“Tifa, you’re silly,” Marlene giggled, leaning back in her arms. Brown eyes blinked trustingly. “Happy birthday and I love you too much and I’m so happy you were borned.”

Heart full with so much love for the tiny person in her arms, Tifa managed a shaky, tender smile. For the first time in a long, long time, she too, was happy that she’d been born. _Thank you_ , her heart whispered to the heavens, _for sending her to me._

“Thank you, Marlene. I love you too much too. Let’s see what we can do about lighting that candle. I’ll even let you blow it out for me.”

“Yay!”


End file.
